New points of economic growth in the Russian Far East will not provide the anticipated effect if we do not simultaneously ensure the comprehensive development of the areas surrounding them – this includes building housing, nurseries, schools, healthcare facilities, and cultural centres. Initial experience relating to a new government approach to comprehensive urban development in the Russian Far East comes in the form of long-term plans to develop the towns of Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Khabarovsk Territory) and Svobodny (Amur Region). These focus the efforts of all key agencies and state companies on creating a qualitatively new environment in these towns, including a comfortable and accessible social, utilities, transport, and energy infrastructure and modern public spaces. What have been the initial results of applying this new approach to urban development in the Russian Far East? What new solutions and tools must be implemented at the federal level in order to ensure the comprehensive development of towns in the Russian Far East? In which other towns in the Russian Far East will urban development be prioritized as a task of federal importance?

Moderator:
Alexey Kuznetsov —
Anchor; Associate Professor of Management Department, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Igor Afanasyev —
Chief Executive Officer, "Gazprom Pererabotka Blagoveshchensk"
Marina Dedyushko —
Senior Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Amur Region
Artur Niyazmetov —
Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Alexei Rakhmanov —
President, United Shipbuilding Corporation
Dmitry Volkov —
Deputy Head of the Government of Khabarovsk Territory on Komsomolsk-on-Amur City Comprehensive Development Issues

The Russian Far East: Creating a New Quality of Life by Responding to Challenges

Solutions from Russian State Companies. The Far Eastern Priority

State companies are making a significant contribution to forward-looking development in the Russian Far East. A key objective for these companies, aside from profitability, is solving the challenges faced by the state. One such challenge is improving the quality of life of inhabitants of the Russian Far East. Many of Russia’s leading state companies are currently implementing specialized solutions in the region. Will Aeroflot’s so-called ‘flat’ tariff on destinations in the Russian Far East be maintained and extended? What other measures can the company offer to support the mobility of people in the region? Has the Agency’s for Housing Mortgage Lending (AHML) lowering rates on mortgage programmes for residents of the Russian Far East proven effective? In what other ways could the organization ensure affordable housing in the Russian Far East as part of this programme? How can Rostelecom help to eliminate the digital divide in the Russian Far East? What else can other state companies do to accelerate development in the region?

Moderator:
Alexey Kuznetsov —
Anchor; Associate Professor of Management Department, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Andrey Donets —
Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Amur Oblast
Olga Epifanova —
Deputy Chair, The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Ilyukhin —
Governor of Kamchatskiy Krai
Mkrtych Kazaryan —
Head of the representative office of the Chukotka Autonomous region under the President of the Russian Federation in Moscow
Mikhail Kolesnikov —
Vice President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Business OPORA RUSSIA
Andrey Panov —
Minister of Industry and Geology of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Sergey Tolstoguzov —
Deputy Director General, Director of the Division «Far East», RusHydro PJSC

The Russian Far East: Creating a New Quality of Life by Responding to Challenges

Creating 100,000 New Jobs. Challenges and Solutions

By 2025, 100,000 new jobs are projected to be created at new enterprises in the Russian Far East, and 70% of them will be for qualified specialists. It will be impossible to fill these positions using only the region’s existing workforce, however. The government has proposed a programme to attract specialists from other regions; nonetheless, the scale and conditions of these proposals are indicative of the need to adopt new measures aimed at attracting staff and creating a new system to train and retrain specialists in accordance with the employers’ requirements. What is the status and what are the development trends of the employment market in the Russian Far East? How is the government helping to attract more people to come and work in the region? How will labour mobility programme 2.0 measures stimulate migration to the region? Is job rotation a potential way to lay down roots?

Moderator:
Valentin Timakov —
Director General, Agency for the Development of Human Capital in the Far Eastern Federal District

The Russian Far East: Creating a New Quality of Life by Responding to Challenges

Integrated Development in the Russian Far East: Creating a Comfortable Living Environment

Concentrating resources in ‘growth points’, measures to reduce imbalances in quality of life, achieving more equal levels of socioeconomic development, and overcoming the limitations of infrastructure are the main challenges when it comes to formulating integrated development plans for the nine regions of the Russian Far East. What are the trends in regional development, as viewed through the prism of the recently formed ‘growth points’? What government support measures are already in place and in use, and what additional mechanisms are required? What needs to be done to create a safe and comfortable living space to fully realize, strengthen and grow human potential in the Russian Far East? How are plans for regional development interlinked, and will they create an overall architecture of development in the Russian Far East?

Moderator:
Pavel Minakir —
Scientific Director, Economic Research Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Panellists:
Tamara Atanova —
Deputy Chairperson of the Government of Magadan Region
Marina Dedyushko —
Senior Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Amur Region
Victor Kalashnikov —
Deputy Chairman of the Government – Minister of Economic Development of Khabarovsk Territory
Alesia Kalinova —
Deputy Governor of Chukotka Autonomous Area, Head of the Department of Finance, Economy and Property Relations of the Chukotka Autonomous Region
Artur Niyazmetov —
Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Vera Shcherbina —
Chairperson of the Government of Sakhalin Region
Galina Sokolova —
Deputy Governor of the Jewish Autonomous Region
Aleksey Struchkov —
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Marina Subbota —
Deputy Chairman of the Government of Kamchatka Territory
Vasily Usoltsev —
First Vice-Governor of Primorsky Territory

The Russian Far East: Creating a New Quality of Life by Responding to Challenges

The Development of Human Capital as a Critical Factor in Successfully Modernizing Single-Industry Towns

The Russian Government first began implementing its priority programme to promote the integrated development of single-industry towns in July 2016. The programme encompasses 319 cities in 60 regions of the Russian Federation across eight federal districts. Under the direction of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, the programme is expected to reach the following target indicators by the end of 2018:• Create more than 200,000 jobs not connected with the major city employer;• Attract investment in fixed assets amounting to RUB 317 billion;• Significant improvements to the quality of the urban environment.Who should be engaged to bring change in single industry towns and how are they to work with existing social communities in these cities? What are the best practices in human capital development that can be replicated across single-industry towns? Who are the experts that can assist in developing the necessary institutions for these towns and what training programmes are needed to manage the transition?

Moderator:
Alexey Komissarov —
Vice-Rector, Director, Graduate School of Public Administration, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

Panellists:
Mikhail Khomich —
Acting Permanent Representative of the Head of the Republic of Udmurtia under the President of the Russian Federation
Stanislav Melyukov —
Head of the Municipality Belogorsk City of Amur Region
Aysen Nikolaev —
Head of the City District, Yakutsk City
Andrei Sharonov —
President, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO
Vladimir Solodov —
Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Svetlana Balova —
Minister of Economic Development of Amur Region
Dmitriy Gluzhko —
Deputy General Director for the Implementation of the Regional Staff Standard for Industrial Growth, Agency for the Development of Professional Communities and Skilled Workers
Alexey Muratov —
Partner, KB "Strelka"
Aleksey Nikitchenko —
Vice President, National Institute for System Study of Entrepreneurship Problems ANO; General Director, O2Consulting
Grigoriy Smolyak —
Director, Department of Human Сapital and Territorial Development, Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East
Denis Tikhonov —
General Director, Corporation for Far East Development
Elena Ulyanova —
President, Rybakov Fund

The Russian Far East: Creating a New Quality of Life by Responding to Challenges

Environmental Consequences of Emergency Situations: Topical Problems and How to Solve Them

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations is taking active steps to implement a set of measures aimed at improving day-to-day safety for the population and businesses alike, and developing modern approaches to increase the effectiveness of measures to protect people and territories from emergency situations, including those carrying environmental consequences. An important area of focus is international cooperation on issues regarding environmental safety and dealing with the aftermath of environmental disasters. What trends, both in Russia and worldwide, can be observed in mitigating the impact of environmental disasters on the national economy? What is the role and significance of international cooperation in combating the environmental consequences of disasters? How does effective coordination between different ministries and agencies result in mitigating the environmental impact of natural disasters?

Moderator:
Alexey Smirnov —
Head of Science and Technology Office, Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters

Front row participants:
Oleg Bazhenov —
Secretary of State - Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters
Alexey Chirikov —
Head of the Institute, All-Russian Research Institute for Civil Defense and Emergencies of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (Federal Center for Science and High Technology)
Sergey Didenko —
Head, Siberian Regional Center of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergency Situations and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters
Denis Gordienko —
Head of the Institute, Badge of Honour Federal State Budgetary Establishment All-Russian Research Institute for Fire Protection
Andrey Lutoshkin —
Director of the Civil Defence Department, Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters
Valery Petukhov —
Deputy Director of the School of Engineering,
Head of the Department of Safety in Emergency Situations and Environmental Protection, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)

The Russian Far East: Creating a New Quality of Life by Responding to Challenges

Developing Borderland Territories in the Russian East: Opportunities and Challenges

Their geostrategic location and existing economic potential of their natural environment make the border regions of the Russian Far East stand out as the most attractive regions for investment and economic activity. At the present time, these regions are home to the majority of ASEZs, and a free port regime is in operation. Major cross-border transport infrastructure will be completed in 2018–2019. With limited local budgets, how can authorities keep pace with economic processes while ensuring that the local population, the incoming workforce and visitors to the border regions have access to high-quality infrastructure and public services in a timely manner? Are government support measures for geopolitically important regions sufficient? What steps need to be taken to activate cross-border cooperation as a driver for the development of border regions?

Moderator:
Grigoriy Smolyak —
Director, Department of Human Сapital and Territorial Development, Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East

The Russian Far East: Creating a New Quality of Life by Responding to Challenges

Talent in the Russian Far East: To Import or Nurture?

The effectiveness of talent management is today taking on an ever greater significance for the global competitiveness of a country. In Russia, a range of strategic programs are being implemented to develop talent for participation in efforts to upgrade the country’s scientific and technological base, launching businesses on new markets, and the digital economy. The Russian Far East should not remain on the sidelines as solutions to these challenges are put into effect, and has its own part to play in Russia’s national strategy. The Russian Far East is a territory of great challenges. The very opportunity created by these for self-realization in difficult circumstances could become the ‘business card’ used by the region to attract talent. What role could the Russian Far East play in Russia’s national talent management strategy? Which of the challenges posed by the Russian Far East are on a grand enough scale to attract Russia’s most talented young people? In what way should the Russian Far East participate in global competition for talent?

Moderator:
Valentin Timakov —
Director General, Agency for the Development of Human Capital in the Far Eastern Federal District

Panellists:
Aidar Akmalov —
Executive Director, Kazan Open University of Talents 2.0
Yury Saprykin —
Vice President for Regional and International Development, Skolkovo Foundation
Tatiana Sinyugina —
Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Robert Urazov —
General Director, WorldSkills Russia, Agency for the Development of Professional Communities and Skilled Workers
Dmitry Zemtsov —
Vice Rector for Development, Far Eastern Federal University; Head of Working Group «Extra curricular activities Movement» of National Technology Initiative (NTI) on the Development of Supplementary and Non-Formal Education

The Russian Far East: Creating a New Quality of Life by Responding to Challenges

Government and the Public – Working Together. The Russian Far East as a Region of Social and Public Innovation

Involving inhabitants of the Russian Far East en masse in tackling everyday municipal and regional issues and increasing their level of constructive engagement demands new approaches to creating a system of local self-government and relations between government, public institutions, and active citizens. The foundations of such an undertaking must be improving the system of local self-government; more actively engaging socially oriented non-profits in the provision of social services, together with improving government support mechanisms for non-profits; identifying and supporting active citizens (or ‘doers’) whose efforts create new opportunities to provide good living standards in the Russian Far East and helping them to implement and replicate their projects; and developing the infrastructure of the non-profit sector and the opportunities it can offer non-profit organizations and active citizens. What is the role of civil society institutions in ensuring the forward-looking development of the Russian Far East? What is being done to secure access for non-governmental organizations seeking to provide social services? How are measures to support the non-profit sector being improved, and what opportunities for socially oriented non-profits and active citizens are afforded by the non-profit infrastructure being built today: resource centres and innovation centres in the social sphere?

Panellists:
Vladislav Boutenko —
Senior Partner, Managing Director, Chairman in Russia, The Boston Consulting Group
Sergey Gabestro —
Chairman of the Public Council under the Ministry of the Development of the Russian Far East; General Director, Fabrikant.ru LLC
Sergei Kachaev —
Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Elena Myakotnikova —
Corporate Director, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Artem Shadrin —
Director, Department of Social Development Innovations, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Solodov —
Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation
Valentin Timakov —
Director General, Agency for the Development of Human Capital in the Far Eastern Federal District
Dmitry Zemtsov —
Vice Rector for Development, Far Eastern Federal University; Head of Working Group «Extra curricular activities Movement» of National Technology Initiative (NTI) on the Development of Supplementary and Non-Formal Education